Governor John Engler's recent State of the State address gave very
little hope for the majority of citizens that value a clean & safe
environment in Michigan.
Apart from a policy that for this fiscal year would cut the manpower at our
State Parks while increasing fees, despite a State Ballot Referendum that
guaranteed funding & maintenance levels at State Parks, Engler is trying
to advance a new policy that would give developers first rights on the
purchase of undeveloped land provided they agree not to interfere with
existing wetlands.
This notion in itself is false, especially considering the associated
problems of inorganic chemical run-off into pristine soil and waterways.
And to commemorate the legacy of abuse and seeds of spoilage that the
Engler Administration has wrought, a coalition of 20 Michigan environmental
groups on February 9th issued a statement condemning the Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality's decision to grant a hazardous waste
deep well injection permit in Romulus, claiming this is further proof of
the agency's continuing dereliction of its duty to protect public health
and the environment.
Releasing a 20-page report, Continuing Dereliction of Duty: How Michigan's
Environmental Agency Defies the Law and the Public, the groups criticized
DEQ's performance in solid and hazardous waste management, air pollution
control, and wetlands protection.
The report is a sequel to Dereliction of Duty, a report issued last fall
that laid out a separate set of policies and permit decisions harming the
public interest in Michigan.
DEQ issued the Romulus permit to Environmental Disposal Systems, Inc.,
(EDS) for the hazardous waste well in defiance of a recommendation to deny
the permit from a site review board that held a series of public meetings
to review the proposal.
"This decision illustrates how the top management of DEQ sees its job as
protecting industry rather than protecting people and the environment,"
said R.P. Lilly of RECAP.
Michigan hazardous waste imports have already jumped from 301,000 tons in
1992 to 607,000 tons in 1998, and the new facility will increase imports
even more, the groups said.
In the report, the groups call for reform of the DEQ to fulfill a positive
vision in which "the agency adheres to the law, issues permits designed to
reduce further the pollution of air and water, boldly but fairly enforces
against violations of the law, and vigorously promotes prevention of
pollution. "
"The issuance of this permit is not in the public's best interest," said
Debbie Romak, Romulus City Councilperson. "The Site Review Board
determined that the facility would place many of our citizens at an
unacceptable level of risk, but Mr. Harding has again put industry first
and citizens last."
Polluted Policies
The crux of this important report underscores how under DEQ Director
Russell Harding and the Administration of John Engler, money collected from
polluters is plummeting.
Further examples are given of how Michigan is becoming a trash magnet and how
the DEQ Director uses inappropriately inflammatory rhetoric invoking the
Waco tragedy against EPA after the federal agency steps in to protect the
environment in the face of DEQ recalcitrance.
Goring Communities to Benefit Special Interests
These are but a few of the documented actions the DEQ has taken in recent
months & years to denigrate the quality of our Great Lakes State:
o Romulus: DEQ overrules a state board to issue a hazardous waste injection
permit.
o Northport: A judge finds DEQ's interpretation of wetland law "absurd."
o Rockwood: A landfill gets a slap on the wrist from DEQ.
o Ludington: DEQ defines a wetland out of existence so it can be developed.
o Hamtramck: Instead of cracking down on toxic mercury reductions from a
medical waste incinerator, DEQ rewrites a permit to allow the emissions.
o Charlevoix: DEQ reverses course and grants a wetland development permit
on Lake Charlevoix in a delicate, rare habitat.
o Cadillac: DEQ refuses to use its authority to control emissions from a
tire burning facility.
o Antrim County: Local officials step in when DEQ won't protect local
wetlands under state law.
o Grosse Ile: DEQ defines a wetland out of existence, allowing development
in the face of scientific findings to the contrary.
Water Diversions Threaten the Great Lakes
Water currently being siphoned off to feed development in Michigan
and surrounding states is endangering the health of the Great Lakes. Worse
yet, out-of-state companies are now developing plans to tap into fresh
water sources across the globe - and our Great Lakes are a prime target for
their water diversion schemes.
In his State-of-the-State address, Governor Engler talked about standing
firm against great lakes water diversion. This is because the Great Lakes
governors have developed a proposal called Annex 2001 that allows Great
Lakes states and Canadian provinces to develop strict standards to evaluate
proposals for withdrawals of Great Lakes waters.
While this proposal is a step in the right direction, it doesn't do enough
to protect our important water resources.
As it currently stands, the proposal actually weakens standards for
approval of small-scale diversions. These unchallenged 'small' diversions
are much more than a drop in the bucket, and could seriously threaten the
health of the Great Lakes when taken together.
Annex 2001 does not provide an ongoing mechanism for individual citizens to
speak out about unwise water decisions. A truly comprehensive solution
must provide for public input from citizens.
Your Voice Can Make the Difference
Public Comments about Annex 2001 are now being accepted through
February 28th. Your voice is needed to correct its flaws and fully protect
our region's greatest treasure - the Great Lakes.
The Review urges you to contact your representatives and Governor John
Engler and tell them to support public input and take a strong stand
against unmonitored water diversions of any size.
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